Mohammed Siraj had his February all planned out. He was set to watch Real Madrid play at the Santiago Bernabeu on the 15th and spend time with family in preparation for Ramzan. After captaining Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, he deserved a break. The T20 World Cup felt distant, like a dream for someone else.
However, Siraj would soon find that fate had other plans. In just a few hours, everything changed. The Bernabeu was off the table as he received a call-up to join the Indian team.
The day before India’s T20 World Cup opener against the USA, Siraj was in Hyderabad, far from the excitement of the tournament. He had been out of the picture for 18 months as selectors worked on the squad. Missing the T20 series against New Zealand made it clear he wasn’t in the plans for the World Cup.
“I never thought I’d play in the World Cup. When I was left out of the T20 series, I believed this year wasn’t meant for me,” Siraj admitted at the pre-match press conference.
Then, messages started coming in. The first was from Adrian le Roux, part of India’s support team, asking about his plans. Without thinking, Siraj replied, “Please don’t text me right now. I’m resting.”
But destiny intervened when Harshit Rana injured his knee during India’s warm-up match against South Africa. The selectors needed a replacement and called Siraj. From that moment, everything changed for him.
Minutes later, he received a call from captain Suryakumar Yadav.
“Get ready, pack your bag, and come,” Surya instructed.
“Surya bhai, don’t joke. This isn’t happening,” he responded.
“I was supposed to watch the Real Madrid game on the 15th, but whatever is meant to be will be,” Siraj said.
Switching from domestic Cricket to the World Cup in just a day was challenging, but Siraj’s International experience helped. As he boarded his flight to Mumbai, the idea of playing at Wankhede instead of Bernabeu began to sink in.
“While on the flight, it felt surreal. I just maintained the same line and length I used in the Ranji Trophy. My plan was to focus on the new ball, bowl straight, and try for an early wicket to help the team,” Siraj explained.
The strategy worked perfectly. Siraj’s three-wicket haul against the USA was crucial for India’s opening win, proving the selectors right and affirming his confidence in his preparation. Despite a rough night’s sleep, he kept his focus sharp.